Latest news with #Fox&FriendsFirst
New York Post
5 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Illinois parents, policy experts concern over new school mental health screening law
A new Illinois law mandating annual mental health screenings for students in the third through 12th grades is drawing concern from parents and policy experts, who say the measure, and the way it could be implemented, raises more questions than it answers. 'What does that [screening] entail?' asked Cata Truss, a Chicago mother, grandmother, and former educator. 'A child dealing with trauma may show the same signs as one with mental illness, but you don't want to treat or medicate them the same.' Though parents will reserve the right to opt their children out of the mental health screenings, the law leaves key details to be determined by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), which has until September 1, 2026, to develop guidance on how screenings will be conducted, how follow-up referrals will work, and how student privacy will be protected. Illinois moms, including Truss, voiced their skepticism while appearing on 'Fox & Friends First,' citing transparency gaps and their own fears of overreach. 'We do need an increase in our mental health [services] for our children,' said Christine McGovern, also a former public school teacher. But McGovern is concerned the measure could open the door for overreach and the 'alienation of parents,' which she identified as the 'biggest issue' she encountered during her tenure in education. 4 A new Illinois law mandating annual mental health screenings for students in the third through 12th grades is drawing concern from parents and policy experts. arrowsmith2 – Policy attorney and parent Mailee Smith is concerned that several provisions in the law remain vague, including how parents are supposed to opt their children out of the screenings. 'Are parents going to be told every year they can opt out? Because if they don't, that's really not an opt-out process,' she said. 'Who is going to be collecting and reviewing this information? How will students how will their confidentiality be protected?' she continued. 'It seems to pose more risks to freedom than answers to the mental health crisis.' 4 Key details of the mental health screening will be determined by the Illinois State Board of Education, which has until Sept. 1, 2026, to develop guidance on how screenings will be conducted, according to reports. – Truss also expressed a desire for 'so many things' to be added to the measure that have not yet been 'looked at,' likely referencing the law's reliance on future guidance from the ISBE. 'Certainly, we want to say to parents, opt out. And if you think that your child may be suffering from some sort of mental episode, get your own screening. Go out and allow your child's doctor to be the catalyst for whether or not you make the decision to deal with that, whether it's mental illness or whether it's trauma.' Fox News Digital previously reached out to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, who signed the measure on July 31, for comment, but did not receive a reply. 4 Pritzker said the policy is designed to 'overcome the stigma' surrounding mental health and ensure students have access to help if they need it. Getty Images The broader national debate over mental health screenings also roused concerns from author Abigail Shrier, who recently shared that her middle school-aged son was given a mental health screening at an urgent care center after he went in, complaining of a stomachache. In an article with The Free Press, Shrier said she requested a copy of the survey and photographed it. She proceeded to detail the questions, which asked whether he had wished he were dead or was thinking about killing himself. Shrier questioned whether such screenings plant harmful ideas in children's heads or bear the potential for false positives. 4 Supporters of the law argue that the goal is to identify anxiety, depression, or trauma before it escalates. Rido – Local reports say Illinois' approach will use a self-assessment tool and that state lawmakers have identified the screenings as a method of detection rather than diagnosis. 'Tens of thousands of Illinois kids will be encouraged to think of themselves as sick,' she claimed. Supporters of the law argue that the goal is to identify anxiety, depression, or trauma before it escalates. Pritzker said the policy is designed to 'overcome the stigma' surrounding mental health and ensure students have access to help if they need it. The law is set to take effect during the 2027–2028 school year.
Fox News
6 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Illinois parents wary of school mental health screening law, potential for 'overreach'
A new Illinois law mandating annual mental health screenings for students in the third through 12th grades is drawing concern from parents and policy experts, who say the measure, and the way it could be implemented, raises more questions than it answers. "What does that [screening] entail?" asked Cata Truss, a Chicago mother, grandmother, and former educator. "A child dealing with trauma may show the same signs as one with mental illness, but you don't want to treat or medicate them the same." Though parents will reserve the right to opt their children out of the mental health screenings, the law leaves key details to be determined by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), which has until September 1, 2026, to develop guidance on how screenings will be conducted, how follow-up referrals will work, and how student privacy will be protected. Illinois moms, including Truss, voiced their skepticism while appearing on "Fox & Friends First," citing transparency gaps and their own fears of overreach. "We do need an increase in our mental health [services] for our children," said Christine McGovern, also a former public school teacher. But McGovern is concerned the measure could open the door for overreach and the "alienation of parents," which she identified as the "biggest issue" she encountered during her tenure in education. Policy attorney and parent Mailee Smith is concerned that several provisions in the law remain vague, including how parents are supposed to opt their children out of the screenings. "Are parents going to be told every year they can opt out? Because if they don't, that's really not an opt-out process," she said. "Who is going to be collecting and reviewing this information? How will students how will their confidentiality be protected?" she continued. "It seems to pose more risks to freedom than answers to the mental health crisis." Truss also expressed a desire for "so many things" to be added to the measure that have not yet been "looked at," likely referencing the law's reliance on future guidance from the ISBE. "Certainly we want to say to parents, opt out. And if you think that your child may be suffering from some sort of mental episode, get your own screening. Go out and allow your child's doctor to be the catalyst for whether or not you make the decision to deal with that, whether it's mental illness or whether it's trauma." Fox News Digital previously reached out to Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, who signed the measure on July 31, for comment, but did not receive a reply. The broader national debate over mental health screenings also roused concerns from author Abigail Shrier, who recently shared that her middle school-aged son was given a mental health screening at an urgent care center after he went in, complaining of a stomachache. In an article with The Free Press, Shrier said she requested a copy of the survey and photographed it. She proceeded to detail the questions, which asked whether he had wished he were dead or was thinking about killing himself. Shrier questioned whether such screenings plant harmful ideas in children's heads or bear the potential for false positives. Local reports say Illinois' approach will use a self-assessment tool and that state lawmakers have identified the screenings as a method of detection rather than diagnosis. "Tens of thousands of Illinois kids will be encouraged to think of themselves as sick," she claimed. Supporters of the law argue that the goal is to identify anxiety, depression, or trauma before it escalates. Pritzker said the policy is designed to "overcome the stigma" surrounding mental health and ensure students have access to help if they need it. The law is set to take effect during the 2027–2028 school year.
The Hill
08-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Paxton: Democrats who don't return to Texas ‘hopefully' will be jailed
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) said in an interview on Friday that Democrats who refused to return to his state would 'hopefully' be jailed. 'I don't know, we're gonna — we're definitely waiting to see if they show up,' Paxton said in an interview on 'Fox & Friends First' on whether they would see Texas Democrats in handcuffs by the end of the day. 'Dustin Burrows, our Speaker, has given them a deadline of showing up today. They show up today. We're all happy. We can get our business done. And everybody's — everybody's good,' Paxton said. 'If they do not show up, we will be in an Illinois courtroom trying to do just that, not necessarily trying to handcuff them, but get them back to the state of Texas, hold them in contempt, and if they refuse to come, hopefully put them in jail.' Texas Democrats fled the state beginning on Sunday to block Republicans from trying to pass a GOP friendly House map that would give the party five more pickup opportunities next year. Committees in the Texas House and Texas Senate have passed an identical set of House maps that would give the GOP a further edge, teeing each set up for a vote on the House and Senate floors respectively. But because Democrats have left the state, those efforts have stalled. It remains unclear how long Democrats will be out of Texas, but Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has warned he'll keep calling special sessions until they're back. Texas House Republicans are convening later on Friday to establish a quorum, with GOP leaders warning there will be consequences if Democrats fail to show up. Paxton brushed aside concerns that the optics of putting Democrats in handcuffs would give Democrats a win 'in the court of public opinion.' 'No, I think in Texas — I don't know what it's like in other states — but I do know Texas, people expect their representatives to go to work, go fight it out. If you disagree, you disagree,' he said. 'That's the process. The process is not to avoid showing up and being part of the fight,' he continued. 'I think the fact that they have done that has already put them in a negative light in most — at least in most minds in Texas.'
Fox News
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Hulk Hogan was 'legendary,' made professional wrestling what it is today: Sgt. Slaughter
WWE Ambassador Sgt. Slaughter remembers the life of wrestling icon Hulk Hogan on 'Fox & Friends First.'
Fox News
27-06-2025
- Health
- Fox News
GOP rep speaks out after being forced to evacuate offices over threats from pro-abortion activists
Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., is speaking out about the death threats she's received from pro-abortion activists after publicly sharing her experience with a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy — an ordeal that ultimately led to the evacuation of her offices. Cammack told "Fox & Friends First" on Friday that she was targeted by pro-abortion activists after sharing her life-threatening ectopic pregnancy story with The Wall Street Journal. Last May, the Florida congresswoman found herself in a frightening position when her doctors were hesitant to treat her possibly fatal pregnancy complication due to the state's near-total abortion ban. "It took about 10 days to discover exactly what was going on. Doctors originally thought that I was just miscarrying, and then they discovered a very rare ectopic — actually one of the rarest and most dangerous types of ectopic pregnancies you can have," she said. Cammack noted that while Florida's abortion laws have exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, her doctors were still hesitant to provide her with life-saving care because they were scared they would face losing their license or even being sent to prison. "I literally was lying on the table reading them the law, and it dawned on me as I was sitting there with my husband — this is what women are experiencing because of the fearmongering around women's healthcare, and it has to stop," she asserted, adding, "The left absolutely played a role in making sure that doctors and women were scared to seek out the help that they needed." Following the publication of her story in The Wall Street Journal on Sunday, Cammack began receiving death threats from pro-abortion activists, leading to the evacuation of her offices. One of the threats she received read: "We would be better off if you hadn't survived. The only good Republican is a dead Republican." Cammack said that she's received "thousands of threatening phone calls" and more than three dozen "actionable, credible" death threats since sharing her story. "Things that are so horrible, like 'I'm going to come cut out your unborn child and roast it over a fire.' Things that I can't say on air," the congresswoman recalled. "What is really, really scary is the vitriol and the fact that people don't even want to look into the details or take accountability for their actions," she said. According to Cammack, the most important lesson she's taken away from her traumatic experience is that there's not only a "literacy crisis" unfolding in the country, but also a basic lack of understanding of "what healthcare for women is," adding that "ectopic pregnancies are not abortions."
